YASunidos

YASunidos is a grassroots environmental collective that was founded in 2013 with the aim of stopping oil exploration in Yasuní National Park, particularly in Oil Block 43, known as ITT after the initials of the Ishpingo, Tiputini and the Tambococha area, which is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world and home to the Tagaeri and Taromenane indigenous peoples living in isolation (PIA). In that same year, YASunidos launched the direct democracy mechanism known as the “Consulta Popular” (popular consultarion) to enable Ecuador’s voting population to decide whether to stop exploitation of the ITT.

Although this popular initiative was boycotted in 2014 by the Ecuadorian government, after 10 years of struggle and tireless persistence, the popular consultation was held in 2023, resulting in 59% of the population approving the stop to exploitation, a mandate that has yet to be complied with and that Yasunidos continues to demand. Similarly, in 2024, Yasunidos, together with other plaintiffs, secured a historic ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, achieving the first ruling against a State for the violation of the rights of peoples in isolation or uncontacted, in the case of Tagaeri and Taromenane v. Ecuador. This ruling has also not been complied with by the State, and Yasunidos continues to demand its implementation. Yasunidos has been an important collective that has promoted direct democracy, the protection of human rights, particularly the collective rights of indigenous peoples, and the rights of Nature.